A behavioral economic assessment of the role of stakeholder preferences in managing an infectious wildlife disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervid populations poses substantial economic costs, and its management is resource intensive. Control of CWD is often subject to stakeholder‐dependent strategies that require active support and participation. The development of effective CWD management strategies and policies hinges on understanding stakeholder preferences, values and decision‐making behavior. Here we provide a basis for understanding the economic impacts of CWD, which are key to developing effective management strategies. We analyze stakeholder incentives from an economic perspective and discuss the effectiveness of prior management and eradication strategies. Our analysis discusses the integration of behavioral economics into evaluations of stakeholder preferences and its effect on decision‐making to produce optimal policy and management outcomes. Stakeholder‐dependent management strategies of chronic wasting disease have struggled to gain sufficient participation to be effective. Incorporating behavioral economic tools to assess the diversity of stakeholder motivations and incentives which drive behavior could be the key to moving from stakeholder support to stakeholder participation.